Skinners Hill

Skinners Hill is named after the farming family who kept the farm at the top of the hill - now Chan's Dentists. c1900

Rushden Argus, 27th September 1912 A Spill On Sunday night a four-wheeled vehicle containing two ladies and two gentlemen, visitors to the town, was turning at the top of Skinner'€s Hill when it overturned and precipitated the occupants to the ground. They were fortunate to escape with a severe shaking and a few bruises. Extracted from 1912 Feast The house and shop when H Cooper kept it Extract from the memories of Mr Henry Hobbs: "€I was born,"€ he said, "€on the very spot where Skinner'€s butcher'€s shop stands now, in 1851. It was butcher's shop then, but kept in a thatched house, and we lived in the house at the end."

The buildings at the far end of the row of cottages (centre of the picture below) are some of the farm outbuildings.

Rushden Echo & Argus, 18th Nov. 1949 Skinners Hill, Rushden, has changed considerably since it presented this largely rural view, and the present parking place for buses is decidedly less picturesque than were the cottages of Home Close, where Samuel Knight was the principal character. Some features remain, however the trees bordering Rushden Hall, the Claridge factory (right) and the building on the extreme left. Note: A barn behind was given for use as the Scout Room courtesy of Hugh Sartoris of Rushden Hall.

Where the thatched cottages of Home Close once stood, became an open area and for some years it was used to park buses, before the Newton Road bus garage was built. At the foot of the hill facing the Claridge factory was the Lightstrung Garage. For many years that gave the name to the bus stop, "The Lightstrung" but after the one way system for traffic was introduced, the buses only stopped outside the factory, so it is now called "Skinners Hill" bus stop.

Facing the cottages on the other side of the hill was the village Green, opposite St. Mary's parish church.

Courtesy of the late Colin Bryant's Collection
1960s - Skinner's Outbuildings in use by Mr Green for car repairs Right: view opposite of the Village Green with stone wall c1890

The junction in 1965 at the foot of the Hill known as the "Lightstrung" bus stop after the garage facing the hill.	Children sitting on the old bus shelter roof, just to the right of the picture (left)

The Green became a garden of remembrance when the War Memorial was erected here in 1921. To the right of the Memorial is another farm outbuilding, the farm is just visble at the other side. The picture below is the view from the bus stop, showing Lilley & Skinner's warehouse. Later it was used by the YMCA, and taken as part of Peter Crisp's. Now 'Phoenix House' used by MIND charity, following a fire in their former building in 2008.

c 1925

	The Lightstrung garage, at the foot of Church Street, gave its name to the bus stop, until the premises were demolished in the 1960s when the road was altered and the Duck Street roundabout was created. It was renamed Skinners Hill but locals still today, refer to it as the Lightstrung! [2015]
The Lightstrung Co. Ltd. showroom & forecourt 1960s. - Courtesy of the late Colin Bryant's Collection

In 2013 the War Memorial was cleaned

The Drinking Fountain was also cleaned July 2013

Claridge's Factory once stood proud at the foot of the hill. Demolished in 2015 - see also Brookfield - Claridge Family

2018 in the snow